The day is finally here: your baby has gotten onto all fours, and is rocking!
Wait, does that mean they will be crawling soon?!
While every baby makes the transition from rolling, to getting on all fours, to rocking, to crawling at their own pace, this kind of movement towards movement–is a good time to think about safety in the home.
There are upwards of thousands of baby-proofing items online and in stores, so, once again, how do you choose what is really needed to ensure your moving and grooving baby is safe? Will this brand or that brand’s baby gate keep my baby from falling down the stairs? And the questions go on!
As a pediatric RN, mom to three (very rambunctious) boys, and nurse educator (a.k.a. lover of research and lifelong learner), I have compiled my top 3 baby safety items. These are items currently in use in my home, and while there are many more tools or gadgets out there, I tend to lean towards simplicity, especially when it comes to baby items.
1. Electric outlet covers
- I love the dollar store, plastic outlet covers. They usually come in packs of 20, and they are $1! My babies have never figured out how to unplug these ones, and let me tell you, they would figure out how to open a fancy outlet cover with a door. Probably with a stick. Once again, simplicity is key–and it works!
2. Under the kitchen cabinet locks
- We tried to avoid purchasing these with our first and then I am nearly positive I found him with some of the cleaning products strewn about the kitchen floor. Amazon to the rescue! There are several brands of this kind of lock, which I found to be the most durable if installed correctly. These have a magnet you use to open the cabinet lock, which is hidden inside the door of the cabinet. Searching “cabinet lock magnet” should result in something similar
3. Top of the stairs screen gate or walk through gate
- We have gone through over 5 baby gates, and finally! I have found one that is withstanding our boys and actually keeping the baby away from the stairs! I love that this one is low-profile (we had a walk-through gate, it destroyed our walls and was cumbersome), and is very sturdy. Make sure to install a top of the stairs baby gate (no matter what kind) into a stud, this ensures that the gate will not fall off the wall with everyday bumps and wear on the mounting hardware.
See? Nothing too crazy. Simple, simple, simple. Play with your little one as they explore your home in a new way, and adjust your baby proofing measures as needed. You may find that you have a very curious little one, who loves to climb into the cabinets, or you may find they have a sixth sense for where the hidden dog bowls are. The key, as always with parenting, is to listen to your instincts, and your baby.